Circuit controller



W. S. GARLAND v CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Sept. 25, 1928.

Original Filed Feb. 12, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet h/I 7- G'arlmnd.

an r J I 0 "11 Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685,537

} W. S. GARLAND C IRCUIT CONTROLLER Original Filed Feb. 12, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 auuentoz UNITED: STA

' Other objects of Patented Sept. 25, 1 928.

TE S

WALTERS. GARLAND, or wasnmcronjmsrarcr or COLUMBIA.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

Original application filed February 13.11926, Serial No. 87,873. Divided and this application filed AugustlS, 1926. Serial No. 129,478. v

This invention relates to an improved float operated circuit controller, being a division of .my co-pending application for gage, filed February 12, 1926, Serial No.

The invention seeks, among other objects, to provide a circuit, controller 1 wherein, as each gallon. of liquidor other chosen unit of measure of liquid introduced into a motor vehicle fuel tank, a circuit will. be closed by the. device for actuating an indicatoron the instrument boardofthe vehicle to register I the'increase while, as each gallon ofliquid is withdrawn from the tank, a circuit will be closed .by the device for actuating the indicator to register the decrease. 1

And theinvention seeks as a further ob --ject to provide a device which will function to prevent false actuation of the indicator,

with a consequent false reading thereof, and

wherein the circuit closing'parts of'the de-' vice will, be completely isolated from the fuel t'ank so 'thatall danger of fire will be avoided. v

the invention not specifically mentioned in theiforegoing will appear during the, course of the following description. I

In the accompanying drawings: Figurel is a perspective Viewv showing my improved controller in connection with thefueltankof a motor vehicle, the indicater of my prior application, previously identified, being also illustrated. Q

Figure 2 is avertical, sectional. view on the line 2--2 of Figure 1, looking in the directionindieatedby the arrows, and showing the mounting of the circuit closer of the device. i

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view'on the line 33 of Figure 2, looking in thedirection indicated bythe arrows, v

, Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view-through the, circuit closer. Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional View through the circuit closerp p V,

Figure 6 is a detail plan view particularly showing the brush of thecircu-itcloser.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connections employed;

V In Figure 1 of the -drawings, I have illustrated my improved circuitcontroller in connection withthe fuel tank 49 of a conventional motor vehicle and have alsoshown on, the instrument board ofthe vehicle, the

indicator 13 illustrated in my pending application, previously identified. In order that the present improvements may be readily understood it may be noted that this indicator includes a pointer 44 which is movable in one direction by an electro- Coming now more particularly to the subject of the present invention, Iemploy within the tank 49, a dependingbracket 50, and

journalednear. its lower end through said bracket is ,a shaft 51 the upper end of which is, as seen in Figure 4, journaled through a suitable gland 52 upon the top I wall of the tank. At its upper end, the shaft is provided. with ahead 53, and fixed to the lower end of the shaft is a gear 54. Depending from the lower end of the bracket 50 is an offset lug 55,:and pivoted upon said 1 the segn'ient 56 will'be' rocked for'rotating the shaft Mounted upon-the head 53 of the shaft 51 is a preferably cylindrical casing 59 of suitable insulating material and detachably connecting the casing with the head are screwsGO sunk into the bottom wall of the casing. As will be observed, these screws terminate short of the upper face of said .wal-l so that the parts within the casing will thus be effectuallyinsulated by the casing with respect to the shaft 51. As shown in Figure 5, the. side wall of the casing is corrugated internally to forni an annular se riesofcams or teeth 61, and sunk into said cams at the summits thereof are medially disposed contacts 62 lying flush with the summit faces of the cams. QThese contacts are all electrically connected at their lower ends by a conductor ring 63 which rests against the bottom of-the casing, and extending radially inward from .said ring is a conductor 64 which, as seen in Figure i, terminates in a socket 65 countersunk in the bottom wall of the casing axially thereof. v

Fixed to the tank ifladjacntthe casing 59 is an upstanding bracket 66 to which is rigidly attached an arm 67 terminating at,

its free end in an elbow which extends downwardly within the casing axially thereof. Depending from the free end of the arm is a reduced stem 68 which rotatably tits in the socket 65, and formed on the arm at the base of said stem is an annular flange G9. Rotatable on the arm is a cover 70 which rests against the liange (59 and lrictionally fits tightly over the casing, closing the easing, screws or like fastening devices 71 be ing employed for securing the cover to the casing.

Fixed to the stem (33 near its lower end is an insulating plate 72, and fitting the stem to rest upon said plate is an insulating bushing 73 provided near its upper end with an annular flange Tel. RQSblllg on the plate to be slidably supported thereby is a brush 75 slotted, as indicated at 76, to freely accommodate the bushing 73 and, will be observed upon reference toilligure 5, the flange Tlot the bushing overhangs the brush for maintaining the brush seat-ed against the plate 72. it its forward end, the brush is tapered to provide beveled side edges 77 and 78 and mounted upon the plate 72 are upstanding rollers 79 and 80 to coact with 30 5;

aid edges of the brush. Journaled upon the brush at its forward end is a contact roller 81 to travel over the cams 61 of the casing 59 as said casing is rotated, and pressing the brush forwardly so that the contact roller will be urged to coact with said cams, is a spring 82, one end of which is fixed to the brush at the forward end of the slot 76 while the opposite end of said spring is, as seen in Figure l, attached to the flange T l of the bushing 73. Upstanding from the plate 72 at opposite sides of the rear end of the brush are posts 83, and pivoted upon said posts are contact members 84C and 85, respectively. Fixed at corresponding ends thereot to the posts 83 are springs 86, the opposite ends of which are attached to the members 8% and 85 for swinging said members inwardly toward the brush 75, and projet-ting laterally from the hub ends of said members are lugs 87 to coact with stop pins 88 on the plate 72 for limiting the contact members in their inward swinging movement.

As shown in Figure 7, corresponding terminals of the elect-ro-magnet-s 19 and 20 of the indicator are connected by a wire 89 with one side of the battery of the'vehiele or other suitable source of electrical energy thereon the other side of the battery being grounded to the frame of the vehicle. Leading from the magnet 19 to the contact member St is a wire 90, and leading from the magnet 20 to the contact member 85 is a wire 91. As shown in Figures 4 and 5. the arm 67 ot' the circuit closer is provided with suitable channels to accommodate the wires 90 and 9.1 and, preferably, these wires are attached to the posts 83, the wires being insulated from the arm. However, since the stem 68 of the arm is in direct contact with the socket 65, this arm provides a ground connection through the bracket 66 and tank -19 for a l of the contacts 62.

As will now be seen, fuel is introduced into the tank 49 and the limit 58 is caused to ris the casing 59 will be turned in a clocki ise direction. As the casing is thus rotated. each of the cams til will, as it engages the roller 8t ot the brush 75, swing the brush laterally, as seen in Figure 5, into engagement with the contact member 84-, which member will be rocked to accommodate the lateral movement of the brush. However, the contact member 85 will, when the brush is thus swung, be held away from the brush by the engagen'ient of the lug 87 of said member with the'adjacent stop pin 88. As will be observed, lateral movement of the brush is limited by the engagement of the beveled edge 77 of the brush with the roller 79, when, as the rotation of the casing iontinues and the active cam is advanced in front oi the contact lfilltli'.8,l, the cam will, as shown in detail in Figure (3, shift the brush rearwardly or inwardly on the bushing 73 until said roller reaches the summit ot the cam. The spring pressure on the contact member 84 will then rock the brush laterally in the opposite direction and snap the roller 81 LCl'OaS the summit; of the cam into the notch at the rear of the cam. As the roller 81 thus travels across the sumunt at the cam said roller will, ol'

course, engage the contact 62 of said ram,

when current will flow from the battery through the wire 89 and through the magnet 19 and the wire 90 to the contact member 8%, thence through said member, the brush, the roller 81, and the contact member of said cam to the ring (33 to return to the battery through the ground connection aflforded by the ring. The'cams 61 are so spaced that, as each gallon of fuel is introduced into the tank 49, the float 58 will be lifted sullieiently to advance one of the cams past the brush so that, as will be seen. upon the closing oi. the circuit through the magnet 19, as just previously noted the pointer, 44 will be actuated to registerthe increase in the quantity of fuel in the tank.

As the fuel is used from the tank 49 and the float drops, the casing '59 will be turned in a counter-clockwise direction so that as each of the cams G1 is moved into engagement with the contact roller 81 of the brush '75, said brush will be rocked laterally into engagement with the contact member and out of engagement with the contact member 8-1- until the bevell d edge 78 of the brush strikes the roller 80. As the movement of thecaln continues, the brush will then be shiftedendwise until the contact rollerreaches the summit of the cam, when the spring pressure on the contact member 85 will serve to rock the-brush laterally and snapthe contactroller thereof across the summitof the cam. The contact roller will thus be caused to engage thecontact member 62 of said cam for closing a circuit from the battery through the wire 89. and through the elcctro-inagnet 20 and the wire 91 to the contact member 85, thence through said contact membenthe brush and said contact ofthe cam, to return to the battery through tuated to show an increase inthequantity of fuel in the tank, the float will, when thevfuel againfissumes its normal disposition within the tank, drop so that'the indicator will be actuated for returning the pointer to its original position. Aswill benoted, each of the contact members occupies only; the middle portion of the summit of the adjacent cam. Thus, the contact roller '81 cannot be shifted from anyone ofthe notches between the cams to the summit of any one of said cams to engage the contact. of said cam and return to said notch, since,' once the contact roller reaches the summit of a cam, the spring tension on the brush exerted by either of the spring. pressed contact members 84 and 85,

will rock the brush and snap the contact roller across the cam. False actuation of the indicator with consequent false reading there'ofwill accordingly be obviated.

As shown inFigure l, the cover of the casing 59 is preferably graduated to provide a dial 92 like the dial 13 while the arm 67 is formed with a pointer 93 to cooperate with said dial for indicating the quantityof fuel in thetank. Thus, the quantity of fuel actually in the tank may be readily determined as the tank is being'filled. e

, Having thus described the invention, I claim: 7

1. A circuitController including a rotatable shaft, means carried thereby and provided with a surface having a series of cams, a contact carried by each of said cams, contact members insulated with respect to said contacts, a piv'otally and slidably mounted brush urged to coact with said surface and movable both pivotally"and'slidably by each cam as said shaft is rotated in either one direction or the other to close a circuit through the contact of such cam and one of said contact members respectively, and floatoperated means forrotatingsaid shaft.

2. A circuit controller including a rotatable shaft, a casing carried thereby and pro vided with a surface havinga series of cams, a contact carried by each of said cams at the summit thereof, contact members insu-- iated with respect to said contacts, a. pivotally and'slidablymounted brush urged to co'act with said surface and movable both pivota-lly and slidably by each cam as said shaftis rotated in either one direction or theotherto close a circuit through the contact of such cam and one of said contact members respectively, and floatoperated means for rotating said shaft.

'3. A circuit controller including a rotatable shaft, a casing carried thereby and provided with, a'surface having a series of cams, a contact carried by each of said cams at the summit thereof, an arm extending into the casing, an insulating plate fixed to said arm, spaced contact members carried by said plate, a brush slidably and pi'votally'mounted upon said arm and urged to coact with said surface, the brush being "lovable by each of said cams as said shaft is rotated in either one direction or the other to close a circuitthrough the contact of such cam and one of said contact members respectively, and float-operated means for rotating said shaft.

4. A circuitcontroller including a rotatable shaft, means carried thereby and provided with a surface having a' series of cams, a contact carried by each of said cams at the summit thereof, spring pressed contact members insulated with respect to said contacts, a brush urged to coact with said surface and movable by each of said cams as said shaft isv rotated in either one direction or the other to close a circuit through the contact, of such cam and one oflsaid contact members respectively, eachof sa id contact members being movable to snap the brush across the summit of anyone of said cams, and float through the'contact of said camand one of said contact members respectively.

GrA circuit controller including a. rotatable element having a surface provided with a series ofrcams, a contact earned by each of said cams, spaced contact members, and a slidably and pivotally mounted brush urged to coact with said surface and slidablyand pivotally movable by each cam as said ele- I each CiU'lL ment is rotated in either one direction or the other to close a circuit through the contact of such cam and one oi said. contact niemhers rcs 'iectirely.

7. A circuit closer including a rotatable element having a surrace provided With a series of cains a contact carried by each cam, spaced sprine" actuated contact menu hers, and a slidahzv :ind pivotally mounted brush extending s: id niemhers and urged to react with said surface. the )l'i ll being slidahi and l ii'otaily n oi'ahic h element is minted in either the other to close circuit ill and one of said contact members respectively, the contact members being: movable to rock the brush either one direction or the other selectively across the SCiEIHDiiiE'i each cam,

8. A circuit controller including a rotat alilc casing having :1 surface provided wit. a series of cams e conic 'fil'l'lCd h ea :l of said cams. an arm extending; into he cusing. a plate fixed to said arm, spring; contact members pivoted upon said plate. and a brush sliduhly and pirotail mounted upon the arm and urged to coach with said surface, the brush being slidahlyend nirotall movable by each of said cams said casing is rotated in either one direction or the other for closing a circuit through the contact of such cam and one of said contact members respectively.

9. I: circuit controller including a rot able casing having a surface provided with a series of cams, a contact carried by each of said cams at the summit thereof, an arm extending into the casing and having electrione dire throu cal connection with all of said contacts, an insulating plate fixed to the arm, spaced con tacts carried by said plate, an insulating ljiushing mounted upon the arm, and a brush slidahly and pivotally mounted upon said bushing and urged to coactwith said surface, the arm being slidahly and pivotall; IUOYfililO hr each of said cams as the casing is rotate in either one direction or the other to; closing" a circuit through the contactvo't such cam and one or said contact members rcspe 'tirely.

it). A circuit controller comprising a circuit c osing: ineniliier mounted to receive both a pivotal and :1 longitudinal increment contacts at opposite sides of the circuit clo ing member. a support adapted to roceire a for word and a rererse movement, spaced cout-zzcts on the support, and means between the spaced contacts for imparting a comhined fvotul and lonegitiulinal moi'en'ient to the aid circuit closing memher at each movement o i the said support in either direction.

i. 1.. circuit controller comprising a cirnit cl mg me :iher mounted to receive both a pivotal and longitudinal reciproeatory movement contacts at opposite sides of the iit closing niemliier, a plurality of spaced. ontac s lectrically engageahle by the circuit elo; nieinher, a support for the said spaced contacts. means for imparting a for- Ward and reverse movement to the said WALTER s. GARLAND. 11,. 3. 

